snake or frigate bird

Tim Simmons · 14th May 2009, 06:33 PM

David thank you for your encouraging words, perhaps tourist may have been a bit harsh and hasty. "Tribal" for want of a better word, culture, art production and materials are not preserved in aspic. However there could be a fine line between "folk art" and "Tourist". Looking again at the copper base to the staff and how carefully it has been set into the wood I might be prepared to think there is pride in the manufacture. The plastic eyes may have been thought as rather cool by the maker. The ? mark looks like a stain and quite lightly applied. The actual wood is a natual twisty root or vine strong but bendy. There is minimal shaping to the twist. Perhaps "fern" might suggest possible names and origin. The wood is pale in colour the dark colour you see in the pictures is from a lacquer. I cannot tell if it is a natural one or industrially produced. I can say that for the money it is starting to grow on me. I have a large Thai darb knife put together with salvaged aluminium and chewing gum or an epoxy resin. Just because you are poor in the 20th century does not mean artists stop making artifacts for cultural use? Anyway here are some more pictures. I could still think it not Indian?

fearn · 14th May 2009, 08:21 PM

Hi Tim,

Got me. I'm guessing some sort of tropical liana, possibly including a rattan or a grape vine, for the major part of the cane. It's definitely not a root. As for the wood at the bottom, I haven't a clue. If that purple color is natural, that would limit the choices a bit, not that I know what they are off-hand.

David · 14th May 2009, 09:19 PM

Tim, are you sure the eyes are plastic? Looks like some sort of stone to me.

This type of staff could have been made anywhere. Snake have cultural significance all over the world. I see no specific cultural indicators here. But i do like the staff.

Tim Simmons · 15th May 2009, 04:11 PM

The eyes are plastic/nylon material, to be sure I tested with a hot pin.

fern, the purple part is a piece of copper pipe. If you look very carefully you can see some thought and effort has gone into stretching and fettling the pipe to fit the wood. It is this that makes me feel that it may not be a tourist thing. Also it does actually feel good to hold. I have had Congo knives with plastic materials attached as decoration. I think I will google Liana.

Tim Simmons · 15th May 2009, 04:51 PM

Looks like some type of Liana to me now. That means it could come from many places even India but reminds me of African work?

http://www.ias.ac.in/currsci/jan102009/58.pdf

fearn · 15th May 2009, 07:47 PM

Ah, thanks Tim. I see the copper now. Weird that I saw that as wood first.

Another interesting thing is the lack of corrosion on the copper.

This looks like the kind of stick I'd make for fun out of an interesting piece of wood, with a pipe ferrule and a carved head. I agree, it's probably not a tourist item.

Best,

F

14th May 2009, 06:33 PM	#1
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,855	David thank you for your encouraging words, perhaps tourist may have been a bit harsh and hasty. "Tribal" for want of a better word, culture, art production and materials are not preserved in aspic. However there could be a fine line between "folk art" and "Tourist". Looking again at the copper base to the staff and how carefully it has been set into the wood I might be prepared to think there is pride in the manufacture. The plastic eyes may have been thought as rather cool by the maker. The ? mark looks like a stain and quite lightly applied. The actual wood is a natual twisty root or vine strong but bendy. There is minimal shaping to the twist. Perhaps "fern" might suggest possible names and origin. The wood is pale in colour the dark colour you see in the pictures is from a lacquer. I cannot tell if it is a natural one or industrially produced. I can say that for the money it is starting to grow on me. I have a large Thai darb knife put together with salvaged aluminium and chewing gum or an epoxy resin. Just because you are poor in the 20th century does not mean artists stop making artifacts for cultural use? Anyway here are some more pictures. I could still think it not Indian? Attached Images

14th May 2009, 08:21 PM	#2
fearn Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,247	Hi Tim, Got me. I'm guessing some sort of tropical liana, possibly including a rattan or a grape vine, for the major part of the cane. It's definitely not a root. As for the wood at the bottom, I haven't a clue. If that purple color is natural, that would limit the choices a bit, not that I know what they are off-hand.

14th May 2009, 09:19 PM	#3
David Keris forum moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 7,218	Tim, are you sure the eyes are plastic? Looks like some sort of stone to me. This type of staff could have been made anywhere. Snake have cultural significance all over the world. I see no specific cultural indicators here. But i do like the staff.

15th May 2009, 04:11 PM	#4
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,855	The eyes are plastic/nylon material, to be sure I tested with a hot pin. fern, the purple part is a piece of copper pipe. If you look very carefully you can see some thought and effort has gone into stretching and fettling the pipe to fit the wood. It is this that makes me feel that it may not be a tourist thing. Also it does actually feel good to hold. I have had Congo knives with plastic materials attached as decoration. I think I will google Liana.

15th May 2009, 04:51 PM	#5
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,855	Looks like some type of Liana to me now. That means it could come from many places even India but reminds me of African work? http://www.ias.ac.in/currsci/jan102009/58.pdf

15th May 2009, 07:47 PM	#6
fearn Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,247	Ah, thanks Tim. I see the copper now. Weird that I saw that as wood first. Another interesting thing is the lack of corrosion on the copper. This looks like the kind of stick I'd make for fun out of an interesting piece of wood, with a pipe ferrule and a carved head. I agree, it's probably not a tourist item. Best, F